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Laura Chambers Mystery #2
What Lies Beneath
The deeply flawed but intrepid Laura Chambers, from the "dark and vivid rabbit hole" (David Bell) of a thriller Last Girl Gone, finds herself lost in the deadly webs of small town secrets as she hunts for the truth about her father, who mysteriously disappeared several years ago.
Tell me two truths and a lie.
A year after her tangle with a local killer that left her disfigured, Laura is done licking her wounds. And she's done with the small town of Hillsborough, North Carolina. But the sheriff just found the mangled body of a woman who was reported missing several weeks ago. Her last phone call was to Laura.
With an unidentifiable face, Laura can't shed light on why she was this woman's final call. To break free of the hostile sheriff's suspicion, Laura digs into the history of the deceased. What she finds completely upturns all she thought she knew or remembered. It's an old picture of Laura from when she was just a young girl, standing with her father, her father's best friend, and another little girl who Laura could have sworn was just a figment of her imagination. What else has she been mistaking for fiction? For truth? And more importantly--what did this woman have to do with her missing father? What was she calling to tell Laura?
Tell me two truths and a lie.
A year after her tangle with a local killer that left her disfigured, Laura is done licking her wounds. And she's done with the small town of Hillsborough, North Carolina. But the sheriff just found the mangled body of a woman who was reported missing several weeks ago. Her last phone call was to Laura.
With an unidentifiable face, Laura can't shed light on why she was this woman's final call. To break free of the hostile sheriff's suspicion, Laura digs into the history of the deceased. What she finds completely upturns all she thought she knew or remembered. It's an old picture of Laura from when she was just a young girl, standing with her father, her father's best friend, and another little girl who Laura could have sworn was just a figment of her imagination. What else has she been mistaking for fiction? For truth? And more importantly--what did this woman have to do with her missing father? What was she calling to tell Laura?
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 9, 2019
50 people are currently reading
1239 people want to read
About the author
J.G. Hetherton
2 books179 followersJ.G. Hetherton was raised in rural Wisconsin, graduated from Northwestern University, and lived in Chicago for the better part of a decade. Along the way to his first novel, he dabbled in many different day jobs before moving to North Carolina for a girl. They live in Durham, North Carolina with their twin daughters, and when he’s not writing, you can find him on the hiking trail or sitting down with a good book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
February 15, 2022
Thank you Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book before publication.
Full disclosure: I did not read the first book in this series. I've jumped in mid-series in different series (how many times can I use this word in two sentences???) and didn't feel like I was missing much, but in this case, reading the first book definitely would've helped. There's clearly some recurring characters with little context, and mention of past events, again without much context. However, you can definitely read it as a standalone, but expect to be a little confused in some regards.
I would rate this a 3.75 if we're being precise. It's not a 3/5, but I can't say it's a 4/5. The writing alone is a 5/5, but that ending is a 2/5. In the spirit of fairness and mathematics, I've rounded up to a 4.
THE PLOT
Investigative journalist, Laura, is back playing Nancy Drew after she receives frantic final phone calls from a mystery woman killed in a hit and run. Who was she? And why was she calling? And what, if anything, does this have to do with the upcoming execution of the Shotgun Slayer, a Hillsboro local legend?
MY OPINION
J.G Hetherton deserves ALLLL the flowers for his beautiful writing. WOW. He is a true writer; an artist with words. He could take the mundane and describe it in ways I've never considered. I can't say enough good things about the writing quality of this novel. Hetherton is truly talented.
Now, if your preference is a book crammed with action and twist after twist after twist, I can't say this book is for you. Yes, there is action, and yes there are twists (packed in at the end). But really, it's the beautiful writing that keeps you turning the pages. The author spends a lot of time with the character's inner thoughts. I loved the flashbacks to Laura's childhood, although there's no way in hell 8-year-olds were THAT self-aware. He painted a picture of small-town, southern, stricken poverty without spelling it out for you. You could feel the heat in your bones. The pace of the novel was great as well, but like I said, it's not a CRAZY thriller. This is the indie movie of books—a thoughtfully constructed police procedural with more layers than an onion.
Now, onto my famous gripes :)
1) I found Laura to be unlikeable. She seemed incapable of accepting responsibility and had an almost sociopathic-like tendency to manipulate those around her. As someone who was a journalist for a hot minute, she's not doing the public's perspective of the industry any good with her lack of boundaries, regular obstructions of justice, and just general abuse of trust.
2) The ending was doing way too much. It was a leisurely walk to the last 10% of the book and then the author just threw in every rando storyline possible. It kinda reminded me of Oprah's infamous: You get a car! You get a car! You get a car! but more like You get a prostitution ring! You get a deeply corrupted police force! You get a surprise paternity reveal! Just slow your roll. Pick something actually feasible. And this is all in the context that Hillsboro has 6,000 residents, but more crime syndicate activity than Miami. My disbelief was chucked off the side of Mount Everest.
If Hetherton had stayed the course until the very end, I would've felt more confident in my 4-star rating. But since I put a high price tag on GOOD writing, 4 stars it is. I think the ending was just extra disappointing to me because I really enjoyed the journey. I will check out his other book and continue reading the series, should there be more books to come.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: INCREDIBLE writing, good pace
Cons: Ending was overwhelming in a bad way
Full disclosure: I did not read the first book in this series. I've jumped in mid-series in different series (how many times can I use this word in two sentences???) and didn't feel like I was missing much, but in this case, reading the first book definitely would've helped. There's clearly some recurring characters with little context, and mention of past events, again without much context. However, you can definitely read it as a standalone, but expect to be a little confused in some regards.
I would rate this a 3.75 if we're being precise. It's not a 3/5, but I can't say it's a 4/5. The writing alone is a 5/5, but that ending is a 2/5. In the spirit of fairness and mathematics, I've rounded up to a 4.
THE PLOT
Investigative journalist, Laura, is back playing Nancy Drew after she receives frantic final phone calls from a mystery woman killed in a hit and run. Who was she? And why was she calling? And what, if anything, does this have to do with the upcoming execution of the Shotgun Slayer, a Hillsboro local legend?
MY OPINION
J.G Hetherton deserves ALLLL the flowers for his beautiful writing. WOW. He is a true writer; an artist with words. He could take the mundane and describe it in ways I've never considered. I can't say enough good things about the writing quality of this novel. Hetherton is truly talented.
Now, if your preference is a book crammed with action and twist after twist after twist, I can't say this book is for you. Yes, there is action, and yes there are twists (packed in at the end). But really, it's the beautiful writing that keeps you turning the pages. The author spends a lot of time with the character's inner thoughts. I loved the flashbacks to Laura's childhood, although there's no way in hell 8-year-olds were THAT self-aware. He painted a picture of small-town, southern, stricken poverty without spelling it out for you. You could feel the heat in your bones. The pace of the novel was great as well, but like I said, it's not a CRAZY thriller. This is the indie movie of books—a thoughtfully constructed police procedural with more layers than an onion.
Now, onto my famous gripes :)
1) I found Laura to be unlikeable. She seemed incapable of accepting responsibility and had an almost sociopathic-like tendency to manipulate those around her. As someone who was a journalist for a hot minute, she's not doing the public's perspective of the industry any good with her lack of boundaries, regular obstructions of justice, and just general abuse of trust.
2) The ending was doing way too much. It was a leisurely walk to the last 10% of the book and then the author just threw in every rando storyline possible. It kinda reminded me of Oprah's infamous: You get a car! You get a car! You get a car! but more like You get a prostitution ring! You get a deeply corrupted police force! You get a surprise paternity reveal! Just slow your roll. Pick something actually feasible. And this is all in the context that Hillsboro has 6,000 residents, but more crime syndicate activity than Miami. My disbelief was chucked off the side of Mount Everest.
If Hetherton had stayed the course until the very end, I would've felt more confident in my 4-star rating. But since I put a high price tag on GOOD writing, 4 stars it is. I think the ending was just extra disappointing to me because I really enjoyed the journey. I will check out his other book and continue reading the series, should there be more books to come.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: INCREDIBLE writing, good pace
Cons: Ending was overwhelming in a bad way
July 12, 2022
Happy Publication Day ⭐️
This is the second book in the series Laura Chambers Novel What Lies Beneath by JG Hetherton. It works as a stand alone and does not affect its genuineness. It is a fast paced, well-written crime story with the depiction of Laura as a reporter. In the hills of North Carolina, "Shotgun Slayer Barrow" has been on death row for 20 years for the killing of Robert & Linda Merrit. Is he the killer? When a mangled woman beyond recognition is found on the highway, the connection is made with her last phone call to Laura. Without knowledge of who she is and Laura never taking the call, the tension between the sheriff and Laura rises. This would not be the first rodeo she has had with the police. All of these are connected and the hunt for the truth begins with what happened years ago and to present.
Laura's presence is a reminder of a dark past in this little town. Her dad's PTSD contributed by Vietnam and his connection with the family killed is a dispatch of clues but connecting the dots becomes tedious and his disappearance creates an edge of the seat thriller. The Merrit's little girl, Emily, was one of Laura's closet friends, but after their murder, they were never to mention Emily's existence in their house again.
So many red herrings and unexpected twists that you will have this read in one setting. It gives you the feeling of discomfort, suspense and a thrill that engages you in a wild chase through a cornfield fighting for Laura's life. The weirdest connection is the guy on death row has my last name.🤣
Thanks NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this title in exchange for my honest review.
This is the second book in the series Laura Chambers Novel What Lies Beneath by JG Hetherton. It works as a stand alone and does not affect its genuineness. It is a fast paced, well-written crime story with the depiction of Laura as a reporter. In the hills of North Carolina, "Shotgun Slayer Barrow" has been on death row for 20 years for the killing of Robert & Linda Merrit. Is he the killer? When a mangled woman beyond recognition is found on the highway, the connection is made with her last phone call to Laura. Without knowledge of who she is and Laura never taking the call, the tension between the sheriff and Laura rises. This would not be the first rodeo she has had with the police. All of these are connected and the hunt for the truth begins with what happened years ago and to present.
Laura's presence is a reminder of a dark past in this little town. Her dad's PTSD contributed by Vietnam and his connection with the family killed is a dispatch of clues but connecting the dots becomes tedious and his disappearance creates an edge of the seat thriller. The Merrit's little girl, Emily, was one of Laura's closet friends, but after their murder, they were never to mention Emily's existence in their house again.
So many red herrings and unexpected twists that you will have this read in one setting. It gives you the feeling of discomfort, suspense and a thrill that engages you in a wild chase through a cornfield fighting for Laura's life. The weirdest connection is the guy on death row has my last name.🤣
Thanks NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this title in exchange for my honest review.
August 16, 2022
My thanks to Crooked Lane books, J.G. Hetherton and Netgalley.
I'll be honest and tell y'all that during the first half of this book I was confused. I just could not keep everything that was going on straight!
My noggin was lost and 😕 confused. But the second half of this story finally got it's behind in gear!
I didn't much like Laura. I also didn't much like anyone else either. One exception, and he died!
For me, the last half of this book was what saved it. I thought it was a fairly funked up conclusion.
3 1/2 stars. Rounded down.
I'll be honest and tell y'all that during the first half of this book I was confused. I just could not keep everything that was going on straight!
My noggin was lost and 😕 confused. But the second half of this story finally got it's behind in gear!
I didn't much like Laura. I also didn't much like anyone else either. One exception, and he died!
For me, the last half of this book was what saved it. I thought it was a fairly funked up conclusion.
3 1/2 stars. Rounded down.
July 8, 2022
The second in the Laura Chambers series is recently released, What Lies Beneath by J G Hetherton. Laura is a former crime reporter of the Boston Globe, now working at the Hillsborough Gazette in her old hometown in North Carolina. Laura is instructed to attend a car accident, in order to identify the victim and assist the sheriff’s department. She is unable to recognise the woman, despite having received a voice message from her. As Laura investigates, complications arise that make her question what she was told by her family regarding the events of twenty three years ago when her best friend’s parents were brutally murdered. She discovers materials, including photographs that do not tally with her childhood recollections and challenge her understanding of her father’s death and his disappearance from her life for a period of time. An unfolding gem of a tale with plenty of action and twists, that reveals a calamitous truth for Laura. A slow build of a thriller that culminates in a fiendish exposé that makes for a four star rating. With thanks to Crooked Lane Books and the author, for an uncorrected advanced reader copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.
March 16, 2022
Let me start by saying I was so torn of how to rate this and what to write! So here goes a very messy review of what is going on in my head right now after finishing it last night.
I loved reading this book so much, but the last 10% was .. how shall I say? Different? Weird!
The writing throughout the book was nice and flowed well, the descriptions were vivid and enjoyable.
After finishing the book and giving myself a night to think over what to write, I must admit, some characters felt a little rushed to be finished? I do not know how to describe it, but it left me wanting for a bit more.
The ending, the last 10% - I was disappointed. Not too disappointed, not as disappointed as the last sentence - you CANNOT end a book with an open ending/cliffhanger, it is not a movie, you just cannot, please.. It felt like that time I was watching Lord Of the Rings on TV for like 3 + hours as a child (more like 4hrs with ads) and it just ended up being a part/installation of a story, not a complete standalone story. I was disappointed then and I am disappointed now.
Not like a major SPOILER, but still; after finishing it kept on nagging at me: I do not understand why the prisoner couldn't just tell her the names of the people who did it. He saw the article, he SAID himself he read it, so he saw the photo and the names, so surely with so much free time he had being on death row, he could put two and two together?! I just didn't get it, how he threw some bits at the reporter, but not the full story with the culprits' names? I felt like it was meant for her to crack the case, like Jessica Fletcher, but there was not much left to crack after that conversation?
Also, who leaves a head-on-the-table-banging-until-bleeding death row inmate with nothing to lose unsupervised with a reporter? Was it just me who did not buy it? Anyone?
Anyhow, it was a nice book until the ending came. It's not as bad as I probably make it sound, but the ending did not satisfy me and reward me after reading the book.
Thank you, NetGalley for the eARC!
I loved reading this book so much, but the last 10% was .. how shall I say? Different? Weird!
The writing throughout the book was nice and flowed well, the descriptions were vivid and enjoyable.
After finishing the book and giving myself a night to think over what to write, I must admit, some characters felt a little rushed to be finished? I do not know how to describe it, but it left me wanting for a bit more.
The ending, the last 10% - I was disappointed. Not too disappointed, not as disappointed as the last sentence - you CANNOT end a book with an open ending/cliffhanger, it is not a movie, you just cannot, please.. It felt like that time I was watching Lord Of the Rings on TV for like 3 + hours as a child (more like 4hrs with ads) and it just ended up being a part/installation of a story, not a complete standalone story. I was disappointed then and I am disappointed now.
Not like a major SPOILER, but still; after finishing it kept on nagging at me: I do not understand why the prisoner couldn't just tell her the names of the people who did it. He saw the article, he SAID himself he read it, so he saw the photo and the names, so surely with so much free time he had being on death row, he could put two and two together?! I just didn't get it, how he threw some bits at the reporter, but not the full story with the culprits' names? I felt like it was meant for her to crack the case, like Jessica Fletcher, but there was not much left to crack after that conversation?
Also, who leaves a head-on-the-table-banging-until-bleeding death row inmate with nothing to lose unsupervised with a reporter? Was it just me who did not buy it? Anyone?
Anyhow, it was a nice book until the ending came. It's not as bad as I probably make it sound, but the ending did not satisfy me and reward me after reading the book.
Thank you, NetGalley for the eARC!
August 15, 2022
After finishing the first book in the series, I immediately wanted to jump into the 2nd one, but couldn't find it anywhere. I reached out to the author who was kind enough to inform me that due to Covid, the publication date was pushed back. Fast forward 10 months, Mr. Hetheron reached out again to let me know that it book 2 was available which I greatly appreciated!
What Lies Beneath is the second book in the series and while it can be read as a standalone, I do believe it is beneficial to start with the first book. In the first book, I found Laura to be self-serving and not always the most likable protagonist, but I started to warm up to her in the end. Once again in this book, she was back to her self-serving ways. I get it, she is an investigative reporter, but sometimes she crosses the line and doesn't always take into consideration that others can be hurt by her actions. This is where I struggle with her. She is most definitely flawed, but in this book, we learn more about her childhood which made me a little more forgiving.
The pace of the book worked well to hold my interest and the length was just right. This time, a woman is found dead on the side of the road. After being hit by a truck, she in unrecognizable, but Laura is called to identify her because her phone number is the last number this mystery woman called prior to her death. From here the mystery unravels and Laura catches herself in the middle of it with ties to her past and small town secrets. Her relationship with retired Sheriff Don Rodgers continues to be a highlight for me and I just love his dog Cooper. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narration by Laura Jennings. J.G. Hetherton is a very talented writer and I look forward to whatever he writes next. 4 stars.
What Lies Beneath is the second book in the series and while it can be read as a standalone, I do believe it is beneficial to start with the first book. In the first book, I found Laura to be self-serving and not always the most likable protagonist, but I started to warm up to her in the end. Once again in this book, she was back to her self-serving ways. I get it, she is an investigative reporter, but sometimes she crosses the line and doesn't always take into consideration that others can be hurt by her actions. This is where I struggle with her. She is most definitely flawed, but in this book, we learn more about her childhood which made me a little more forgiving.
The pace of the book worked well to hold my interest and the length was just right. This time, a woman is found dead on the side of the road. After being hit by a truck, she in unrecognizable, but Laura is called to identify her because her phone number is the last number this mystery woman called prior to her death. From here the mystery unravels and Laura catches herself in the middle of it with ties to her past and small town secrets. Her relationship with retired Sheriff Don Rodgers continues to be a highlight for me and I just love his dog Cooper. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narration by Laura Jennings. J.G. Hetherton is a very talented writer and I look forward to whatever he writes next. 4 stars.
February 10, 2022
What Lies Beneath, is the second book in the series by J.G. Hetherton. Most of the time you can jump into the second or third book in a series and be able to understand what is going on. However, this one really can not be read as a stand alone. I would highly recommend reading the first book just to have a better understanding of what is actually transpiring as there is a lot of history. The first book in the series is called Last Girl Gone.
So, I put What Lies Beneath, down and purchased Last Girl Gone. Last Girl Gone was absolutely incredible, well written, easy flow, character development was excellent and the story was just out of this world.
Now, I continue on with What Lies Beneath.
A Jane Doe is murdered during a Hit and Run.. Was it intentional or an accident? Does this have anything to do with the Shutgun Slayer?
This book has action but I would rather show appreciation for the writing style. J.G Hetheron is a beautiful writer who draws you right in. You can not help but internally question yourself as to what is going on. The way he is able to flashback and give you a clear picture of the characters history is very well done.
I will say that the ending was just WOW! Ok, I did not see that coming but it was definitely impactful.
Before I spoil the book for you, do yourself a favor and pre-order this stand out! Due to release May 17, 2022.
So, I put What Lies Beneath, down and purchased Last Girl Gone. Last Girl Gone was absolutely incredible, well written, easy flow, character development was excellent and the story was just out of this world.
Now, I continue on with What Lies Beneath.
A Jane Doe is murdered during a Hit and Run.. Was it intentional or an accident? Does this have anything to do with the Shutgun Slayer?
This book has action but I would rather show appreciation for the writing style. J.G Hetheron is a beautiful writer who draws you right in. You can not help but internally question yourself as to what is going on. The way he is able to flashback and give you a clear picture of the characters history is very well done.
I will say that the ending was just WOW! Ok, I did not see that coming but it was definitely impactful.
Before I spoil the book for you, do yourself a favor and pre-order this stand out! Due to release May 17, 2022.
November 30, 2021
Holy cow! This book is a non-stop ride that ends in a way I never saw coming! Once again, I was intrigued because it sounded like a good mystery story. I was not disappointed. I did not realize that this is the second book in a series but I didn't find it hard to follow along anyway. As far as I knew it was a standalone. Honestly the way this book ended I am glad to find out it is a series.
Laura Chambers is a reporter who is working on a story about a murder that happened when she was 8 years old. Dubbed The Shotgun Slayer, Simon Barrow murdered a couple, the Merritts, and has been on death row for the last 20 years. He never once confessed or gave up any information as to why he murdered them. Their daughter Emily, also 8 at the time, managed to escape and hide in the woods. Laura is back in town visiting her mother when there is a freak storm that takes out the electricity and cell tower near her. Once back on, she has a message from a local cop asking her to join him at the scene of an accident. She arrives at the scene, a woman, maimed by a truck and beyond recognition on the highway. Confused as to why she's there, she finds out hers was the last number this woman dialed before she was killed. Asked to identify her body, Laura looks and says she has no idea who this person is.
Laura will soon discover this woman has a connection to her past that is intertwined with a dark secret amongst her family and the Merritt family. As she starts to dig deeper into who this woman was, they discover she'd been shot first before running barefoot into the woods and ending up being hit on a highway. So many questions start to surface. Who was this woman and what is her connection to Laura? Why was she shot? Could this be Emily Merritt? After finding a photo album the woman had hidden in her hotel room the plot deepens. The photo album contains a number of photos of Laura's family, the Chambers and of the Merritts. Laura has no recollection of their families being close. In fact, after they died, she was told she could never talk about Emily being her best friend. Why did this woman have this album and why can't she remember their families being so close? Why did her parents hide their relationship?
The past has come back to haunt not only Laura but the town itself. As she dives deeper into this mystery things get hairy. She starts being followed, is shot at and almost killed and then almost framed for a murder she didn't commit. Can she find out who the real killer is, who the woman is and what the connection is to her own father who disappeared right after the murder of the Merritt family before it's too late?
I really enjoyed this story. It is fast paced and action packed. I stayed up until 3 am to finish it. I could not put it down. I had to find out all the answers I needed. For the most part they were answered. The story wrapped up nicely. I like the character of Laura and I look forward to, hopefully, more about her. The story kind of ends on a cliff hanger so I'm really hoping we find out what was in the letter her father left her. All in all, a great mystery thriller that will have you guessing and not wanting to stop until you have the answers yourself. I received this book for free from NetGalley for an honest review.
Laura Chambers is a reporter who is working on a story about a murder that happened when she was 8 years old. Dubbed The Shotgun Slayer, Simon Barrow murdered a couple, the Merritts, and has been on death row for the last 20 years. He never once confessed or gave up any information as to why he murdered them. Their daughter Emily, also 8 at the time, managed to escape and hide in the woods. Laura is back in town visiting her mother when there is a freak storm that takes out the electricity and cell tower near her. Once back on, she has a message from a local cop asking her to join him at the scene of an accident. She arrives at the scene, a woman, maimed by a truck and beyond recognition on the highway. Confused as to why she's there, she finds out hers was the last number this woman dialed before she was killed. Asked to identify her body, Laura looks and says she has no idea who this person is.
Laura will soon discover this woman has a connection to her past that is intertwined with a dark secret amongst her family and the Merritt family. As she starts to dig deeper into who this woman was, they discover she'd been shot first before running barefoot into the woods and ending up being hit on a highway. So many questions start to surface. Who was this woman and what is her connection to Laura? Why was she shot? Could this be Emily Merritt? After finding a photo album the woman had hidden in her hotel room the plot deepens. The photo album contains a number of photos of Laura's family, the Chambers and of the Merritts. Laura has no recollection of their families being close. In fact, after they died, she was told she could never talk about Emily being her best friend. Why did this woman have this album and why can't she remember their families being so close? Why did her parents hide their relationship?
The past has come back to haunt not only Laura but the town itself. As she dives deeper into this mystery things get hairy. She starts being followed, is shot at and almost killed and then almost framed for a murder she didn't commit. Can she find out who the real killer is, who the woman is and what the connection is to her own father who disappeared right after the murder of the Merritt family before it's too late?
I really enjoyed this story. It is fast paced and action packed. I stayed up until 3 am to finish it. I could not put it down. I had to find out all the answers I needed. For the most part they were answered. The story wrapped up nicely. I like the character of Laura and I look forward to, hopefully, more about her. The story kind of ends on a cliff hanger so I'm really hoping we find out what was in the letter her father left her. All in all, a great mystery thriller that will have you guessing and not wanting to stop until you have the answers yourself. I received this book for free from NetGalley for an honest review.
January 3, 2022
This is the second of two books in a series involving Laura Chambers, an investigative reporter who has returned to her small town in central North Carolina. While this certainly is a book you can read as a stand alone, I recommend you start with the first book of the series, "Last Girl Gone." I suggest this because Hetherton's writing is so worth reading and there are definite references to the past (first book) in "What Lies Beneath." I knew right away that this would be part thriller, part heartbreaking, part just lovely, lovely writing. Laura grew up on a 100 acre farm that abutted her friend Emily Merritt's 100 acre farm. Laura's father was a drunk with PTSD from serving in Vietnam, but she fiercely loved him and learned from him about hunting, how not to get lost in a cornfield and about making her way in the world, no matter what it throws at her. She is only semi-successful at this. Her now asthmatic mother has always been indifferent, narcissistic and hard on Laura. To eight year old Laura, the Merritts were picture perfect, kind and loving.with both Emily and Laura. Both families lives are hardscrabble. When the girls are eight, they are separated by a tragedy and we are brought to present day Hillsborough. The local newspaper editor, Bass is thrilled to have a talented and experienced staffer and gives Laura a long leash. At the outset, Laura is following and writing about the imminent execution of the "Shotgun Slayer," a man who spent twenty years on death row and has reached the end of his appeals. Her interests abruptly turn to a new story when Laura is called to an accident scene to identify the victim. The last number the victim called was Laura's and Laura has no idea who she is. Laura's past investigative work has not endeared her to one of the local police officers and none of them are her buddies. One is outright hostile to her. She catches up with a close friend who is retired from the force. He has a bloodhound. Together, they begin to find pieces of information leading to a very, very well kept secret that puts them in danger. At first, I thought the mystery was going to be too obvious. Every single clue is there but the resolution is definitely not obvious. Several of the characters are richly drawn and the writing is so good I finished this book in less than a day. I love the complex use of language, some parts that are lyrical and references that show the writer is a deep thinker. But it is an easy book to read. As perfect as it gets in my world: sophisticated but not a slog. I am very very stingy with five stars but realized I liked this that much. I've also secured a copy of the first book and hope Hetherton writes and publishes anything at all because he deserves our attention. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC of this yet to be published book. Quick! Get the first one so you are ready for this.
February 3, 2022
A Psychological Rollercoaster!
Small town secrets and coverups are about to be exposed when journalist Laura Chambers receives a phone call moments before a Jane Doe is disfigured beyond recognition in a truck vs. pedestrian tragedy. Unsure why this mystery woman would be calling her, the town’s police department is now convinced that Laura knows more than she is letting on and wants to find out what she may be hiding.
Concurrently, Laura had recently written an article on “Shotgun Slayer Barrow,” whom is about to be executed for murdering Bob and Linda Merritt 23 years prior. Emily Merritt, their 8-year-old daughter survived that terrible night but was put in the system right after and moved away to live with her surviving family. Emily and Laura, being the same age and having property that bordered each other, were best friends; but after that fateful night Laura was told by her parents never to speak of the Merritts again. Now, Laura is on a quest to find out what secrets her family are hiding, who Jane Doe is and what her relation is to the Merritts, and what secrets lie beneath Hillsborough, North Carolina.
J.G. Hetherton writes like no other – invoking levels of imagery and details that suck you in until you feel like you are involved in the scene. Little by little you are given puzzle pieces that start fitting together, and the hits keep coming – up until the last chapter. This is an action-packed thriller revolving around coverups, small town bureaucracies, the news media vs. the police, the depth of the father-daughter relationship, and the cost of the truth.
Though this is the second book in the Laura Chambers series, I feel you can read this as a standalone novel, able to pick up on the history of the characters easily without having to read the first installment. The book started out slow but once it got going, I couldn’t put it down. Some of the imagery I feel dragged out some and wasn’t fully necessary, but the detailed web Hetherton created is well worth the read.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this novel, I am so glad I read it and all opinions are my own!
Small town secrets and coverups are about to be exposed when journalist Laura Chambers receives a phone call moments before a Jane Doe is disfigured beyond recognition in a truck vs. pedestrian tragedy. Unsure why this mystery woman would be calling her, the town’s police department is now convinced that Laura knows more than she is letting on and wants to find out what she may be hiding.
Concurrently, Laura had recently written an article on “Shotgun Slayer Barrow,” whom is about to be executed for murdering Bob and Linda Merritt 23 years prior. Emily Merritt, their 8-year-old daughter survived that terrible night but was put in the system right after and moved away to live with her surviving family. Emily and Laura, being the same age and having property that bordered each other, were best friends; but after that fateful night Laura was told by her parents never to speak of the Merritts again. Now, Laura is on a quest to find out what secrets her family are hiding, who Jane Doe is and what her relation is to the Merritts, and what secrets lie beneath Hillsborough, North Carolina.
J.G. Hetherton writes like no other – invoking levels of imagery and details that suck you in until you feel like you are involved in the scene. Little by little you are given puzzle pieces that start fitting together, and the hits keep coming – up until the last chapter. This is an action-packed thriller revolving around coverups, small town bureaucracies, the news media vs. the police, the depth of the father-daughter relationship, and the cost of the truth.
Though this is the second book in the Laura Chambers series, I feel you can read this as a standalone novel, able to pick up on the history of the characters easily without having to read the first installment. The book started out slow but once it got going, I couldn’t put it down. Some of the imagery I feel dragged out some and wasn’t fully necessary, but the detailed web Hetherton created is well worth the read.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this novel, I am so glad I read it and all opinions are my own!
February 10, 2022
J G Hetherton is a new author to me and I love the way he writes. His imagery took my breath at times. This was a very original and intriguing story which kept me guessing right to the very end. As a standalone it was fine, but I wish I’d known this was the second in a series. I struggled a little at times with Laura’s relationship with some of the characters, and reading the previous book would have helped I think. There were a few sections that I had to read more than once as I was confused (and still am). For example, Laura is searching for two photograph albums. She finds one in a motel room, and finds the other in a memory chest in her mother’s attic. As she is closing the chest she notices something beige in the dark interior. She pulls it out: “In her hands was the second photo album”. Surely this should read “… a third album.”? The ending was a real shock, but I was left with a few unanswered questions which was disappointing. I hope that in the next of the series we find out what was in the letter! Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest review.
January 20, 2022
I received an advanced readers copy of this book, and I am so glad that I did!
A woman runs onto the interstate on a dark rainy night. She is struck and killed by a motorist, but nobody can figure out who she is. Her last call? It was to a reporter, Laura, four times in a row. The last left a voicemail with no voices, just heavy breathing and background noise. Who was she? Why was she calling Laura? What is the connection?
Laura is not the type to leave a good mystery behind, especially if it means a solid story. While she searches for the truth and the story she finds more than she bargained for. Secrets long buried begin coming to the surface challenging what an entire community has believed, challenging her own identity, the memories she held close, and those she'd rather forget.
The author, J.G. Hetherton, is new to me. I did not read Laura Chambers Mystery #1 (Last Girl Gone) and I don't think you will have to either, although I am adding it to my list! I think I have found a new author to add to my favorites list! His writing is beautifully woven together with stunning imagery. A particular passage I liked, that is an excellent example of his imagery follows:
"Once she'd seen a video about ferromagnetic fluids, black oily liquids juiced with particles of iron, then twisted by magnetic fields into nightmarish, spike-laden sculptures. That was how she often imagined herself: an object with a jagged surface. Some spikes pointed outward, impaling the people she was supposed to love. Most pointed inward, lancing down through all her soft spots, stalactites of anger and depression and self-doubt."
I really liked that passage because a) I instantly knew the magnetic material he was speaking of. Remember the Wooly Willy toys as kids? You would drag the iron fragments to the blank face to make eyebrows and a beard and whatnot. The liquid version of that was in tubes you could find at the museum gift shops or science magazines. I loved them, but moreover, I resonated with the description. Jagged edges pointing at anyone daring to come near, and they turn harshly to me too, hurting myself with my own stalactites.
Do I recommend this book? Absolutely. Pre-order it, buy it, rent it. You will love it if you love a good mystery - this book was filled with twists and turns you don't see coming.
J.G. Hetherton What Lies Beneath
A woman runs onto the interstate on a dark rainy night. She is struck and killed by a motorist, but nobody can figure out who she is. Her last call? It was to a reporter, Laura, four times in a row. The last left a voicemail with no voices, just heavy breathing and background noise. Who was she? Why was she calling Laura? What is the connection?
Laura is not the type to leave a good mystery behind, especially if it means a solid story. While she searches for the truth and the story she finds more than she bargained for. Secrets long buried begin coming to the surface challenging what an entire community has believed, challenging her own identity, the memories she held close, and those she'd rather forget.
The author, J.G. Hetherton, is new to me. I did not read Laura Chambers Mystery #1 (Last Girl Gone) and I don't think you will have to either, although I am adding it to my list! I think I have found a new author to add to my favorites list! His writing is beautifully woven together with stunning imagery. A particular passage I liked, that is an excellent example of his imagery follows:
"Once she'd seen a video about ferromagnetic fluids, black oily liquids juiced with particles of iron, then twisted by magnetic fields into nightmarish, spike-laden sculptures. That was how she often imagined herself: an object with a jagged surface. Some spikes pointed outward, impaling the people she was supposed to love. Most pointed inward, lancing down through all her soft spots, stalactites of anger and depression and self-doubt."
I really liked that passage because a) I instantly knew the magnetic material he was speaking of. Remember the Wooly Willy toys as kids? You would drag the iron fragments to the blank face to make eyebrows and a beard and whatnot. The liquid version of that was in tubes you could find at the museum gift shops or science magazines. I loved them, but moreover, I resonated with the description. Jagged edges pointing at anyone daring to come near, and they turn harshly to me too, hurting myself with my own stalactites.
Do I recommend this book? Absolutely. Pre-order it, buy it, rent it. You will love it if you love a good mystery - this book was filled with twists and turns you don't see coming.
J.G. Hetherton What Lies Beneath
July 2, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.
A story of family secrets, fathers and daughters and old crimes. I hadn't read the first book in this series and it wasn't necessary to do so. Would recommend for crime buffs!!
A story of family secrets, fathers and daughters and old crimes. I hadn't read the first book in this series and it wasn't necessary to do so. Would recommend for crime buffs!!
October 17, 2022
This is a really suspenseful thriller that built the tension perfectly.
I was totally invested in the plot despite not having read the previous book.
I felt this was an eerie mystery, that had me guessing till the very end.
So many secrets and plot twists that kept me gripped till the end.
I was totally invested in the plot despite not having read the previous book.
I felt this was an eerie mystery, that had me guessing till the very end.
So many secrets and plot twists that kept me gripped till the end.
November 20, 2021
Wow! What an exciting and action-packed mystery! Laura Chambers, a reporter who moves back to the Deep South from Boston, has a reputation and is intensely disliked by the police, several in particular. Before she moved north, she interviewed a man convicted of murder and awaiting execution, who is still waiting. She investigates a woman who ran into a truck and is maimed and unidentifiable. Laura is brash and fearless and hunts down every last clue like a dog. She grew up here, her mother still lives here in very ill health and very unloving towards her daughter, who visits and tries to help her, only to be pushed away, as she has all her life. Her father died when she was a child. Her parents were not forthcoming with the truth of their family or her neighbors, information which came as a shock near the end. She remembers her childhood in bits and spurts, and has a vast list of resources to help her figure out the truth, which goes back to - yep, her childhood. The more she delves into the past, the more she remembers. It comes to some very dark conclusions that involve people most never would have given a second thought to. I read this in two sittings, and woke up early to finish it. The characters were clear and the writing concise, and the plot went places I never would have imagined. If you like action mysteries, you will enjoy this book. 4 solid stars.
Thank you to Netgalley, J. G. Hetherton, and Crooked Lane Publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to Netgalley, J. G. Hetherton, and Crooked Lane Publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
March 19, 2022
Well the fact that it took me 17 days to finish this tells you what you need to know.
First of all, when I requested this galley I didn’t realize it was the second in a series. My fault! My review should therefore be taken with a grain of salt, because I imagine I would’ve liked it better with some background and more information on the characters. That being said, the lack of background didn’t actually detract from my understanding of the plot.
The book starts off with a bang as a Jane Doe is killed in a hit and run, and the main character, a gutsy journalist, is hellbent on getting to the bottom of the mystery that has ties to a brutal massacre from her childhood. The plot had merit, and the description of the original murders was really intriguing, but overall the book fell short. The ending was great, but the middle of the book dragged to the point where then ding couldn’t fully redeem it. The writing was above average, but didn’t delight me. Also, there was absolutely no hint as to what the ending was going to be, which while shocking, isn’t my preference because I like to be simultaneously surprised but feel like oh yeah that made sense. I also didn’t love the main character, so I think I would’ve felt more positively about the book if I had stronger ties to the character.
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
3.5/5 rounded down to 3.
First of all, when I requested this galley I didn’t realize it was the second in a series. My fault! My review should therefore be taken with a grain of salt, because I imagine I would’ve liked it better with some background and more information on the characters. That being said, the lack of background didn’t actually detract from my understanding of the plot.
The book starts off with a bang as a Jane Doe is killed in a hit and run, and the main character, a gutsy journalist, is hellbent on getting to the bottom of the mystery that has ties to a brutal massacre from her childhood. The plot had merit, and the description of the original murders was really intriguing, but overall the book fell short. The ending was great, but the middle of the book dragged to the point where then ding couldn’t fully redeem it. The writing was above average, but didn’t delight me. Also, there was absolutely no hint as to what the ending was going to be, which while shocking, isn’t my preference because I like to be simultaneously surprised but feel like oh yeah that made sense. I also didn’t love the main character, so I think I would’ve felt more positively about the book if I had stronger ties to the character.
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
3.5/5 rounded down to 3.
July 13, 2022
Two timelines for a mystery murder story. Laura's friend's family, when they were both little girls, was murdered brutally. The friend was taken by relatives and that was the end of the relationship between the two girls.
Fast forward twenty years and a girl's mangled corpse on the interstate after an accident leaves some strange clues behind. Her last call was to Laura but Laura cannot identify the corpse and detectives are skeptical that she has no idea why someone would be calling her just minutes before
she died. The onlu clue is a photograph which includes her friend from twenty years ago with Laura and Laura's father as well.
The story was a complicated one. Laura starts investigating the murder on her own, unravelling so many connections to her own family which leaves her nonplussed. Her mother is scathing in her attacks on the family. Added to the mix is a lifer in prison who is facing execution shortly, who also
seems to have some insider knowledge of the old murder.
There is some action but it is the descriptive writing that is good here. Small town southern inhabitants with a lot of prejudices, plenty of poverty, and trying to succeed. Eight year olds who were quite sensitive to what was happening in their homes, who knew how to keep secrets and when to just shut up.
The review was not an easy one to write, though the book was entertaining
Fast forward twenty years and a girl's mangled corpse on the interstate after an accident leaves some strange clues behind. Her last call was to Laura but Laura cannot identify the corpse and detectives are skeptical that she has no idea why someone would be calling her just minutes before
she died. The onlu clue is a photograph which includes her friend from twenty years ago with Laura and Laura's father as well.
The story was a complicated one. Laura starts investigating the murder on her own, unravelling so many connections to her own family which leaves her nonplussed. Her mother is scathing in her attacks on the family. Added to the mix is a lifer in prison who is facing execution shortly, who also
seems to have some insider knowledge of the old murder.
There is some action but it is the descriptive writing that is good here. Small town southern inhabitants with a lot of prejudices, plenty of poverty, and trying to succeed. Eight year olds who were quite sensitive to what was happening in their homes, who knew how to keep secrets and when to just shut up.
The review was not an easy one to write, though the book was entertaining
May 31, 2023
What Lies Beneath by J.G. Hetherton
Laura is a former crime reporter of the Boston Globe, now working at the Hillsborough Gazette in her old hometown in North Carolina. Laura is instructed to attend a car accident, in order to identify the victim and assist the sheriff’s department. She is unable to recognize the woman, despite having received a voice message from her. As Laura investigates, complications arise that make her question what she was told by her family regarding the events of twenty-three years ago when her best friend’s parents were brutally murdered. She discovers materials, including photographs that do not tally with her childhood recollections and challenge her understanding of her father’s death and his disappearance from her life for a period of time.
It was a slow burning thriller/mystery, and I really liked the crime reporter aspect of the story with Laura playing the leading role in the story. I will be reading the other books in this series.
Laura is a former crime reporter of the Boston Globe, now working at the Hillsborough Gazette in her old hometown in North Carolina. Laura is instructed to attend a car accident, in order to identify the victim and assist the sheriff’s department. She is unable to recognize the woman, despite having received a voice message from her. As Laura investigates, complications arise that make her question what she was told by her family regarding the events of twenty-three years ago when her best friend’s parents were brutally murdered. She discovers materials, including photographs that do not tally with her childhood recollections and challenge her understanding of her father’s death and his disappearance from her life for a period of time.
It was a slow burning thriller/mystery, and I really liked the crime reporter aspect of the story with Laura playing the leading role in the story. I will be reading the other books in this series.
March 7, 2022
A page-turner that picked up quite a bit about a third of the way through. I especially liked Tim, and Cooper made the story so much more 'real' for me. Glad he was safe, brave boy, although... (no spoilers, you'll have to read it yourself).
I'm not sure why the blurb says that Laura had an imaginary friend, she was quite real, but the story, at its heart, shines a light on an important and shocking side to society, two actually.
Thanks to the author, publisher, and #NetGalley for my ARC.
I'm not sure why the blurb says that Laura had an imaginary friend, she was quite real, but the story, at its heart, shines a light on an important and shocking side to society, two actually.
Thanks to the author, publisher, and #NetGalley for my ARC.
July 15, 2022
This book was captivating!!!! I am so glad was led to part 2 because it surely did not disappoint! Well written and full of surprises!
June 19, 2023
Little predictable in some parts but even so, didn't ruin the reading experience
April 14, 2022
1.5 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary copy of What Lies Beneath. This is an honest review.
I’m going to do this review a little differently. For those of you who’ve read a lot of my previous reviews, you’ve probably guessed that that means it wasn’t a great book and there’s a list coming up…
And you would be right!
So, without further ado, let’s get into the review of What Lies Beneath, penned by J.G. Hetherton.
Genre:
Mystery, Thriller
Length:
320 pages
Blurb:
I have to deviate significantly from the blurb on Goodreads because that one almost seems like it’s for a different book.
My blurb goes like this: Journalist, Laura Chambers, gets called in to identify the remains of an accident victim. Except, the body is so broken and damaged that Laura can’t recognize the woman. Then Laura discovers that the woman’s last call had been to her. And so begins Laura’s descent into chaos. Hell-bent on finding answers, she bends rules where required, faces off against a police officer who hates her guts, and discovers that a friendship from her long-forgotten past has ties to her present. Who was the woman who died on the highway? Why had she called Laura? And what did any of it have to do with an old friend that Laura had lost touch with decades ago?
Overall Rating:
3 out of 10
Plot:
6 out of 10
Characterization:
3 out of 10
Primary Element:
6 out of 10 for its mystery
Writing Style:
4 out of 10
Part of a Series:
Yes. This is Book #2 in the Laura Chambers series. However, most people who’ve read it said it stood on its own without much concern. I don’t know if the first one was any better, especially on the characterization, but I did feel like I may have lost out a bit by not having read the first one – especially regarding getting a feel for any of the persons involved.
What Worked and What Didn’t:
> What Lies Beneath has an incredible start. It jumps right in and gets you hooked. The first couple of chapters are thrilling as heck!
> The rest of the book just plods along. I remember thinking, at one point, “This is moving really slowly. Maybe I should stop.” And then I saw that I was 56% in. At which point I realized that it was not moving slowly, but that was its actual pace – a lot of nothing happening.
> I feel like the main reason for that emotion was that the story was so vastly different from the blurb. For instance, there was no mention of Laura thinking that the picture she found was of “someone she had imagined”. There was very little confusion between her fact and fiction – more like questions about why things that happened (and that she remembers happening) had happened.
> I have never disliked so many characters in a single book. Okay, maybe I disliked the ones in Win by Harlan Coben more (check out my review for that one at thebookreviewstation.com), but this was a close second. Laura, in spite of being a victim, was so selfish and annoying that I could not find myself rooting for her at any point.
> That’s not to say that there were no glimpses of her ‘goodness’. They were just so rare that she’s just an unlikeable person. And having a main character you can’t root for makes it that much more difficult to be invested in the book.
> There’s also a lot of assumed characterization. Relationships and emotions spill over from the previous book, but none of it is explained. As a result, you feel like you’ve walked into the middle of a conversation where everyone is mad at everyone, irrational, and intentionally obtuse. I’m not saying Hetherton should have given the entire plot away. But some introduction would have been good at specific points to help understand what was happening. I’ve started a lot of series midway and have seen most authors do this, specifically to help with characterization.
> Plus, the writing style gets super weird at times. The author seems to get taken in with his own similes, and I often found myself lost in paragraphs that didn’t add anything to anything.
> Overall, the book is okay. It moves very slowly, doesn’t really fill you with active interest to know what happens next, and is oftentimes exhausting in both narration and conversation. All in all, worth a pass.
I had a lot of expectations going into What Lies Beneath, but I wouldn’t really recommend the book to anyone. If you love thrillers and mysteries, there are other, much better ones out there. And I’m definitely not going to be reading more from J.G.Hetherton. His style may be great for some, but it just didn’t suit my tastes.
Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary copy of What Lies Beneath. This is an honest review.
I’m going to do this review a little differently. For those of you who’ve read a lot of my previous reviews, you’ve probably guessed that that means it wasn’t a great book and there’s a list coming up…
And you would be right!
So, without further ado, let’s get into the review of What Lies Beneath, penned by J.G. Hetherton.
Genre:
Mystery, Thriller
Length:
320 pages
Blurb:
I have to deviate significantly from the blurb on Goodreads because that one almost seems like it’s for a different book.
My blurb goes like this: Journalist, Laura Chambers, gets called in to identify the remains of an accident victim. Except, the body is so broken and damaged that Laura can’t recognize the woman. Then Laura discovers that the woman’s last call had been to her. And so begins Laura’s descent into chaos. Hell-bent on finding answers, she bends rules where required, faces off against a police officer who hates her guts, and discovers that a friendship from her long-forgotten past has ties to her present. Who was the woman who died on the highway? Why had she called Laura? And what did any of it have to do with an old friend that Laura had lost touch with decades ago?
Overall Rating:
3 out of 10
Plot:
6 out of 10
Characterization:
3 out of 10
Primary Element:
6 out of 10 for its mystery
Writing Style:
4 out of 10
Part of a Series:
Yes. This is Book #2 in the Laura Chambers series. However, most people who’ve read it said it stood on its own without much concern. I don’t know if the first one was any better, especially on the characterization, but I did feel like I may have lost out a bit by not having read the first one – especially regarding getting a feel for any of the persons involved.
What Worked and What Didn’t:
> What Lies Beneath has an incredible start. It jumps right in and gets you hooked. The first couple of chapters are thrilling as heck!
> The rest of the book just plods along. I remember thinking, at one point, “This is moving really slowly. Maybe I should stop.” And then I saw that I was 56% in. At which point I realized that it was not moving slowly, but that was its actual pace – a lot of nothing happening.
> I feel like the main reason for that emotion was that the story was so vastly different from the blurb. For instance, there was no mention of Laura thinking that the picture she found was of “someone she had imagined”. There was very little confusion between her fact and fiction – more like questions about why things that happened (and that she remembers happening) had happened.
> I have never disliked so many characters in a single book. Okay, maybe I disliked the ones in Win by Harlan Coben more (check out my review for that one at thebookreviewstation.com), but this was a close second. Laura, in spite of being a victim, was so selfish and annoying that I could not find myself rooting for her at any point.
> That’s not to say that there were no glimpses of her ‘goodness’. They were just so rare that she’s just an unlikeable person. And having a main character you can’t root for makes it that much more difficult to be invested in the book.
> There’s also a lot of assumed characterization. Relationships and emotions spill over from the previous book, but none of it is explained. As a result, you feel like you’ve walked into the middle of a conversation where everyone is mad at everyone, irrational, and intentionally obtuse. I’m not saying Hetherton should have given the entire plot away. But some introduction would have been good at specific points to help understand what was happening. I’ve started a lot of series midway and have seen most authors do this, specifically to help with characterization.
> Plus, the writing style gets super weird at times. The author seems to get taken in with his own similes, and I often found myself lost in paragraphs that didn’t add anything to anything.
> Overall, the book is okay. It moves very slowly, doesn’t really fill you with active interest to know what happens next, and is oftentimes exhausting in both narration and conversation. All in all, worth a pass.
I had a lot of expectations going into What Lies Beneath, but I wouldn’t really recommend the book to anyone. If you love thrillers and mysteries, there are other, much better ones out there. And I’m definitely not going to be reading more from J.G.Hetherton. His style may be great for some, but it just didn’t suit my tastes.
January 20, 2025
Another amazing book by JG Hetheron. Last girl gone and this one, may be my 2 favorite reads of the year. Compelling story line, and characters are created so well, you can't help but feel like you know them! Also, I'm not easily suprised with twists, but both books sure got me. Absolutely recommend.
December 2, 2021
4/5 Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second Laura Chambers Mystery written by JG Hetherton. I was a little worried that I had not read the first instalment before taking on this book, but references to the events of the previous novel were minimal and this story can stand on its own very well.
This pulse pounding story follows Laura through only a couple of weeks of her return to her hometown of Hillsborough, North Carolina; a small town with lots of secrets. The police find a scantily clad woman killed by a truck on the highway. Although her face has been disfigured by the accident, the police are certain that Laura knows who she is. The woman’s cell phone shows many calls to Laura’s number before her life so tragically ended. Unfortunately, Laura never got to speak to the woman and has no clue as to her identity.
The reporter in Laura cannot leave the investigation to the police alone, and she digs into the deceased woman’s thin threads of history. It seems that she is always just ahead of the police in her investigation and she finds much more than she bargained for. Her own history is entwined with the dead woman’s and parts of her childhood turn out to be not as she had interpreted them.
The action never stops and the reader is pulled along while Laura finds details of an old crime and gets to put things right. The twists and turns in this well-crafted story take you in so many unexpected directions. This is a very satisfying read. I will definitely be reading the first Laura Chambers Mystery and hope that there are many more to follow.
This is the second Laura Chambers Mystery written by JG Hetherton. I was a little worried that I had not read the first instalment before taking on this book, but references to the events of the previous novel were minimal and this story can stand on its own very well.
This pulse pounding story follows Laura through only a couple of weeks of her return to her hometown of Hillsborough, North Carolina; a small town with lots of secrets. The police find a scantily clad woman killed by a truck on the highway. Although her face has been disfigured by the accident, the police are certain that Laura knows who she is. The woman’s cell phone shows many calls to Laura’s number before her life so tragically ended. Unfortunately, Laura never got to speak to the woman and has no clue as to her identity.
The reporter in Laura cannot leave the investigation to the police alone, and she digs into the deceased woman’s thin threads of history. It seems that she is always just ahead of the police in her investigation and she finds much more than she bargained for. Her own history is entwined with the dead woman’s and parts of her childhood turn out to be not as she had interpreted them.
The action never stops and the reader is pulled along while Laura finds details of an old crime and gets to put things right. The twists and turns in this well-crafted story take you in so many unexpected directions. This is a very satisfying read. I will definitely be reading the first Laura Chambers Mystery and hope that there are many more to follow.
March 13, 2022
You can find this review and all my others over at www.readbookrepeat.wordpress.com
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Actual rating of 3.75f
When Laura is contacted by the local Sheriff about a body involved in a car accident, she has no idea what they could possibly want her for. She's a pariah, a journalist and no one in this town really likes her all that much. When it comes to light that the dead woman's last phone call was to Laura, she fears that it's someone she knows, but with the face unrecognizable from the accident, she has no clue. She has no idea who this person is or why they would have wanted to contact her. When an old picture from Laura's past surfaces, one of her, her father and their old neighbours, Laura has even more questions than answers. Racing against the local police office to find out the truth will dig up things that are more horrific than Laura thought possible. What did this strange person have to do with her and her father? What was she trying to tell Laura in her last moments?
I requested this book because I've been on a crime/mystery sort of kick this year, and I was not disappointed. I didn't realise at first that this was the second book in the series, I haven't read the first one and I feel like it didn't hugely impact my ability to understand what was going on in this instalment, but I do feel that I had missed some crucial events that transpired in book one which I think would have helped me have a deeper understanding of things alluded to in this book. I do believe this can be read as a standalone, but I'd probably suggest picking up book 1 first. I was actually going to do that myself but just wasn't able to at the time.
Laura is a journalist and she moved back home in book 1 I'm presuming, she tangled with a serial killer and has stayed on, though it seems the townsfolk aren't her biggest fan. She has a missed call from an unknown number and it soon comes to light that a Jane Doe found on the highway after being hit by a truck was the one who tried to call her. She has no idea why or what this person could have wanted with her as the Jane Doe has been badly disfigured from the accident, which leaves her with no clue as to who the person is. Chasing down the clues to get to the bottom of things and what this person had to do with her deceased father, Laura uncovers secrets and history that she probably would have preferred remained buried, but it's all in a days work for a journalist.
I did enjoy this mystery, it kept me guessing at every turn and I honestly had no idea where it would head next. The mystery of the strange woman calling Laura, I did have a strong idea of who it was basically from the get go, but the reason behind the contact, I couldn't have guessed at. It's not just one mystery that Laura is chasing down in this story, the Jane Doe opens up a chasm of history that Laura needs answers to and I feel like the story was written brilliantly. It kept me guessing the whole time, while I had worked out on of the reveals, the rest were all surprises to me and I absolutely loved that. I had no idea that this story would end up where it did and I did not guess the main culprit at all, the red herring in this story was done brilliantly.
The characters themselves were interesting enough, Laura does come across a little cold in her personality, but I'm wondering if this was done intentionally as she's essentially living in a town that does not like her. Her friends are few and far between. I really enjoyed the character of her retired cop friend (I want to say his name was Don? But I feel like I've remembered that incorrectly), and I absolutely adored his dog. The relationship dynamic between Laura and her mother was multilayered and even though I felt for Laura with what she was put through as a child and even now as an adult, the interactions with her mother were some of the best. We really got a glimpse into what made her Laura as an adult and the development here was fantastic. As said above, having not read the first book, I feel like I did miss out on some vital information that would have added to the character depth in this story, as well as the relationship dynamic between some of them, I do plan to go back and read book 1 though so we'll see how things turn out after that.
Hetherton has a way with words and I feel like the author is incredibly adept at their craft. The way that Hetherton is able to pick you up and drop you straight into the dusty cornfield surrounding Laura's childhood home, the descriptions of the forest nearby so involved that I felt like I could feel the chill from under the canopy. This is an author who is able to really create a world that you become immersed in without going over the top with the descriptions which is a great trait to have as some authors get bogged down in the descriptions which makes for a tedious read at times. Hetherton's ability to write an action scene is also one of the best that I've seen, I could feel Laura's panic and the sense of urgency running through the corn was real.
All in all, this was a fantastic mystery and I'm looking forward to going back and reading book 1 so that I can get a real sense for what happened before this instalment. While writing this review, I actually pushed my rating up because I realised that there was a lot more I liked about this book than not. I do feel that I would have enjoyed it more it I had read book 1, purely for the character development aspect. At times, it did feel like the book's pacing dropped a teeny bit, but overall this was a page turner that kept me guessing.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Actual rating of 3.75f
When Laura is contacted by the local Sheriff about a body involved in a car accident, she has no idea what they could possibly want her for. She's a pariah, a journalist and no one in this town really likes her all that much. When it comes to light that the dead woman's last phone call was to Laura, she fears that it's someone she knows, but with the face unrecognizable from the accident, she has no clue. She has no idea who this person is or why they would have wanted to contact her. When an old picture from Laura's past surfaces, one of her, her father and their old neighbours, Laura has even more questions than answers. Racing against the local police office to find out the truth will dig up things that are more horrific than Laura thought possible. What did this strange person have to do with her and her father? What was she trying to tell Laura in her last moments?
I requested this book because I've been on a crime/mystery sort of kick this year, and I was not disappointed. I didn't realise at first that this was the second book in the series, I haven't read the first one and I feel like it didn't hugely impact my ability to understand what was going on in this instalment, but I do feel that I had missed some crucial events that transpired in book one which I think would have helped me have a deeper understanding of things alluded to in this book. I do believe this can be read as a standalone, but I'd probably suggest picking up book 1 first. I was actually going to do that myself but just wasn't able to at the time.
Laura is a journalist and she moved back home in book 1 I'm presuming, she tangled with a serial killer and has stayed on, though it seems the townsfolk aren't her biggest fan. She has a missed call from an unknown number and it soon comes to light that a Jane Doe found on the highway after being hit by a truck was the one who tried to call her. She has no idea why or what this person could have wanted with her as the Jane Doe has been badly disfigured from the accident, which leaves her with no clue as to who the person is. Chasing down the clues to get to the bottom of things and what this person had to do with her deceased father, Laura uncovers secrets and history that she probably would have preferred remained buried, but it's all in a days work for a journalist.
I did enjoy this mystery, it kept me guessing at every turn and I honestly had no idea where it would head next. The mystery of the strange woman calling Laura, I did have a strong idea of who it was basically from the get go, but the reason behind the contact, I couldn't have guessed at. It's not just one mystery that Laura is chasing down in this story, the Jane Doe opens up a chasm of history that Laura needs answers to and I feel like the story was written brilliantly. It kept me guessing the whole time, while I had worked out on of the reveals, the rest were all surprises to me and I absolutely loved that. I had no idea that this story would end up where it did and I did not guess the main culprit at all, the red herring in this story was done brilliantly.
The characters themselves were interesting enough, Laura does come across a little cold in her personality, but I'm wondering if this was done intentionally as she's essentially living in a town that does not like her. Her friends are few and far between. I really enjoyed the character of her retired cop friend (I want to say his name was Don? But I feel like I've remembered that incorrectly), and I absolutely adored his dog. The relationship dynamic between Laura and her mother was multilayered and even though I felt for Laura with what she was put through as a child and even now as an adult, the interactions with her mother were some of the best. We really got a glimpse into what made her Laura as an adult and the development here was fantastic. As said above, having not read the first book, I feel like I did miss out on some vital information that would have added to the character depth in this story, as well as the relationship dynamic between some of them, I do plan to go back and read book 1 though so we'll see how things turn out after that.
Hetherton has a way with words and I feel like the author is incredibly adept at their craft. The way that Hetherton is able to pick you up and drop you straight into the dusty cornfield surrounding Laura's childhood home, the descriptions of the forest nearby so involved that I felt like I could feel the chill from under the canopy. This is an author who is able to really create a world that you become immersed in without going over the top with the descriptions which is a great trait to have as some authors get bogged down in the descriptions which makes for a tedious read at times. Hetherton's ability to write an action scene is also one of the best that I've seen, I could feel Laura's panic and the sense of urgency running through the corn was real.
All in all, this was a fantastic mystery and I'm looking forward to going back and reading book 1 so that I can get a real sense for what happened before this instalment. While writing this review, I actually pushed my rating up because I realised that there was a lot more I liked about this book than not. I do feel that I would have enjoyed it more it I had read book 1, purely for the character development aspect. At times, it did feel like the book's pacing dropped a teeny bit, but overall this was a page turner that kept me guessing.
January 26, 2026
Great audiobook. There are some characters that I found exasperating and actually skipped ahead because the interactions were too frustrating to listen through.
January 28, 2024
Really enjoyed the first Laura Chambers book but I felt let down by this book. To me, it never really got off the ground.
May 3, 2025
This book had me on the edge of my seat. I loved it!!
March 5, 2022
What Lies Beneath – J.G. Hetherton
Many years ago, in Hillsborough, North Carolina, a neighboring family was inexplicably murdered in their home, with their young daughter the only survivor. Now, the case has been brought back to the forefront of the news as the state has decided to re-enact capital punishment for the killer, dubbed the shotgun Slayer, with investigative reporter Laura Chambers’ write up making front page news. Laura only has vague memories of the family that lived nearby, but her mother is not pleased about her dredging up the past.
Leaving her mother’s home, Laura pulls her phone out of her pocket, and sees she’s missed 4 calls from a number she doesn’t recognize. As she contemplates that, the phone rings yet again. She answers only to find herself talking to a local sheriff’s deputy who asks her to come to a scene. Puzzled, she heads to an accident scene on the interstate, where a young woman has been struck and killed by a truck, mutilated so badly, she is unidentifiable. The cop, Whitley, demands to know who the victim is & Laura is perplexed as she has no idea – even when Whitley tells her the missed calls to her cell came from the phone the victim was carrying.
Knowing she won’t be privy to the details of the investigation – Laura uses her sources – and those of her editor - to work her own search into the identity of the dead woman. A trip to the coroner’s office yields some interesting information, and she enlists and old friend to help her track the woman’s last movements – why was she here and who was she was running from? As Laura digs deeper, she finds more questions than answers – then a discovery brings old memories into question, leaving Laura determined to find answers…
This is the second novel featuring Laura Chambers, following her debut in Last Girl Gone (2018) and it is a stunner!! Told with intricate detail, bold characters and plenty of action and intrigue, I found this book impossible to put down. Laura is a strong, assertive force to be reckoned with and I can’t wait to see what she finds herself up against next. I know writing a book takes time, but I am sincerely hoping I don’t have to wait long for the next in this (hopefully) series!! Excellent read!!
Available from your favorite bookseller on July 12th!
I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley & Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an objective review. Do you love to read?? Visit netgalley.com and start reviewing books today!!
Many years ago, in Hillsborough, North Carolina, a neighboring family was inexplicably murdered in their home, with their young daughter the only survivor. Now, the case has been brought back to the forefront of the news as the state has decided to re-enact capital punishment for the killer, dubbed the shotgun Slayer, with investigative reporter Laura Chambers’ write up making front page news. Laura only has vague memories of the family that lived nearby, but her mother is not pleased about her dredging up the past.
Leaving her mother’s home, Laura pulls her phone out of her pocket, and sees she’s missed 4 calls from a number she doesn’t recognize. As she contemplates that, the phone rings yet again. She answers only to find herself talking to a local sheriff’s deputy who asks her to come to a scene. Puzzled, she heads to an accident scene on the interstate, where a young woman has been struck and killed by a truck, mutilated so badly, she is unidentifiable. The cop, Whitley, demands to know who the victim is & Laura is perplexed as she has no idea – even when Whitley tells her the missed calls to her cell came from the phone the victim was carrying.
Knowing she won’t be privy to the details of the investigation – Laura uses her sources – and those of her editor - to work her own search into the identity of the dead woman. A trip to the coroner’s office yields some interesting information, and she enlists and old friend to help her track the woman’s last movements – why was she here and who was she was running from? As Laura digs deeper, she finds more questions than answers – then a discovery brings old memories into question, leaving Laura determined to find answers…
This is the second novel featuring Laura Chambers, following her debut in Last Girl Gone (2018) and it is a stunner!! Told with intricate detail, bold characters and plenty of action and intrigue, I found this book impossible to put down. Laura is a strong, assertive force to be reckoned with and I can’t wait to see what she finds herself up against next. I know writing a book takes time, but I am sincerely hoping I don’t have to wait long for the next in this (hopefully) series!! Excellent read!!
Available from your favorite bookseller on July 12th!
I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley & Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an objective review. Do you love to read?? Visit netgalley.com and start reviewing books today!!
March 31, 2022
Although this is the second book in a series, it’s possible to read it as a stand-alone like I did without feeling you’re missing too much. Having said that, reading the first book might have given more context to the characters.
Laura Chambers is working as a journalist, covering the upcoming execution of a man who murdered the Merritt couple in the small town of Hillsborough, North Carolina, leaving their young daughter Emily as an orphan. Emily and Laura were neighbours and childhood friends.
Now Laura is summoned by the police to the scene of an accident. A young woman was struck and killed by a truck, mutilated so badly that identification is difficult. She tried to call Laura four times before she died. The police want to know why, but Laura has no idea.
As she digs into the mystery of the woman’s identity and death, Laura discovers that she was running from a deadly pursuer who now has Laura in his sights. Soon she begins to uncover long buried secrets from the past involving her own family and the reason why the father she loved left her in the year before he died.
I enjoyed the fact that Laura is a strong female protagonist. Despite her distinct flaws, I was drawn along with her on her journey.
There’s plenty of action in the book to keep the adrenaline pumping, but I felt the author tried to pack too much into the last 10%. Also it ends with a cliffhanger that will no doubt lead into the third book, but left me feeling a bit dissatisfied.
The highlight is the author’s use of language. There is some beautiful writing in the book and that’s what made me want to keep reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
Laura Chambers is working as a journalist, covering the upcoming execution of a man who murdered the Merritt couple in the small town of Hillsborough, North Carolina, leaving their young daughter Emily as an orphan. Emily and Laura were neighbours and childhood friends.
Now Laura is summoned by the police to the scene of an accident. A young woman was struck and killed by a truck, mutilated so badly that identification is difficult. She tried to call Laura four times before she died. The police want to know why, but Laura has no idea.
As she digs into the mystery of the woman’s identity and death, Laura discovers that she was running from a deadly pursuer who now has Laura in his sights. Soon she begins to uncover long buried secrets from the past involving her own family and the reason why the father she loved left her in the year before he died.
I enjoyed the fact that Laura is a strong female protagonist. Despite her distinct flaws, I was drawn along with her on her journey.
There’s plenty of action in the book to keep the adrenaline pumping, but I felt the author tried to pack too much into the last 10%. Also it ends with a cliffhanger that will no doubt lead into the third book, but left me feeling a bit dissatisfied.
The highlight is the author’s use of language. There is some beautiful writing in the book and that’s what made me want to keep reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
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